There comes a time in most people’s lives where home-cooked meals get placed on the back burner. New babies, unexpected hard times, sickness, or simply being overwhelmed by life can all cause an adjustment to your priorities. A great way to bless a friend going through a life change is to feed them a hot meal.

The way you go about feeding a person in need depends on the person’s situation. If they are willing to host you in their home, you could simply bring over a meal and have dinner with them. Most of the time, though, it’s easier to pack up a meal in a way that is easily frozen, easily transported, and can be cooked in a jiffy for those who have too much going on to think about entertaining or starting from scratch.

Here are some things to remember when you’re preparing meals:

-Pack the meals in containers that don’t need to be returned.
-Avoid common allergens or inquire about the person’s special dietary needs.
-Include the ingredients and instructions on how to prepare the meal.
-Try to stick to well-rounded, nutritious meals. Cake and pies are nice, but a house full of desserts isn’t really going to sustain a family.

These recipes that I’ve found are simple to prepare and are perfect for freezing and transporting.

The prices listed are based on an average price of what’s on sale this week at various stores and are subject to change weekly.

Extra-Easy Lasagna – recipe

ground beef – $2.99 lb
pasta sauce – $1.09
shredded cheese – $2.50

Turkey Chili – recipe

ground turkey – $3.61
onions – 99¢ lb
canned tomatoes – $1.20
bell pepper – 79¢

Chicken and Dumplings – recipe

chicken drumsticks – $1.29 lb
potatoes – $2.50 5 lb bag
onions – 99¢ lb

Shepherd’s Pie – recipe

potatoes – $2.50 5 lb bag
shredded cheese – $2.50
ground beef – $2.99 lb
ketchup – $1.49

Easy Minestrone Soup – recipe

beans – 99¢
canned tomatoes – $1.20
cabbage – 59¢ lb
elbow macaroni – $1

See more menu plans!